A Gala Invitation
by elsiecarson
Summary: When the members of Section D are invited to be guests at a gala event celebrating their successes over the past year Harry knows he'll have to go because he never attends any of the others, but he doesn't want to go alone. When he asks Ruth to go with him what does Ruth blackmail him into doing before she'll agree to go?
1. An Inquiry and an Invitation

Ruth hates formal events. She's not a girly girl and she hates dressing up. She never wears make-up and she rarely fusses with her hair. She knows she looks beautiful when she puts in the effort, but she can't see the point on a day to day basis. The invitation to the next Home Office gala for the Security Services is quietly tucked away. She'd like to pretend she never got the invitation.

Harry groans when he opens his invitation. He hates these events. They're always so boring, but he's missed the last few, so he supposes he'll have to attend this one. He wonders if Ruth is planning on going. He suspects not, but it would be a lot less boring if she were there. Ruth always looks so beautiful when she's dressed up.

Ruth goes into the kitchen area to make tea for herself and Harry follows her. "Would you like some tea, Harry?"

"Yes please, Ruth. That would be perfect. Have you gotten your invitation to the Home Office gala yet?" Harry asks curiously.

Ruth moves around the kitchen considering her answer. Does she want to be honest and see why Harry asked about it or does she want to fib so she doesn't have to go? "Yes, I did get my invite."

"Are you going to go?" Harry asks accepting his cup of tea from Ruth before he leans against the counter.

"Probably not. I never enjoy those events. I hate dressing up and I don't walk well in heels. What about you? Will you go?" Ruth asks after she sips her tea.

"I think I'll have to go. I've missed too many of these events recently. I hate to go alone though. I'll be bored." Harry sighs heavily.

"You have managed to weasel your way out of some of these formal events recently. I'll say this: better you than me." Ruth teases.

"Oh, come on, Ruth! If I go you should come! The Home Secretary mentioned that he hasn't seen you at a formal even for a while either." Harry challenges Ruth.

"The Home Secretary wouldn't know me if he fell over me, so don't fib. He has no idea who I am." Ruth prefers to be invisible. She hates to be noticeable at all.

"That's not true. The Home Secretary is well aware of the excellent work that you do. You don't give yourself enough credit. He's been very impressed with the cases you've managed to solve. He sees every case file that we deal with." Harry tells Ruth.

"I just don't like those formal events. If I can get out of going I will. It's not my natural environment." Ruth grumbles.

"God, if it's anyone's natural environment then they're unnatural. No one actually enjoys those events. They're terrible for everyone. You should come. The food and drinks are always very good." Harry smiles at Ruth.

"How can I refuse when you put up such a compelling argument? I wouldn't want to go to that even by myself though. It would be uncomfortable for me to be there on my own." Ruth admits to Harry.

"It's hard to go to an event by yourself. If I go will come with me?" Harry asks seriously.

"Don't you think that'll just start more rumours about us? I don't think I should come." Ruth considers carefully.

"No, I don't think that will start any more rumours about us. Come on, Ruth. Most women would love an opportunity to go shop for a gorgeous dress and have her hair and nails done." Harry says teasingly.

"I'm not most women, Harry. I'm not a girly girl. I like a massage, but I'm not one to go get my nails done." Ruth loves being able to banter with Harry like this.

"You're definitely not most women, Ruth, but I wouldn't have asked just any woman to come with me. I asked you. Come with me." Harry is almost pleading with Ruth.


	2. On One Condition

"For heaven's sake Ruth, say you'll go with him, before he starts to grovel!" Malcolm calls.

"Don't eavesdrop Malcolm! Mind your own beeswax!" Ruth calls back.

Harry blushes. He was rather hoping no one was listening. "Some people are so nosy." Harry mumbles with his lips around the rim of his mug.

Ruth steps very close to Harry and puts her hand on his chest. "I'll come with you if you really want me to, but only if you come dress shopping with me." Ruth boldly kisses Harry's cheek and then walks away.

Harry stands dumbstruck for a moment before walking to the entrance to the kitchen and saying, "Ruth!"

"Hmm?" Ruth turns to face Harry.

"That's a really unfair bargain, but if that's the way you're going to play it then I agree to your terms." Harry smirks at Ruth knowing that she though he was going to say no because of the shopping.

Ruth blushes. She wasn't expecting an answer so quickly or publicly. Harry isn't usually so quick to make a personal decision. Harry heads off to his office.

"Well done Ruth. I haven't seen Harry this happy for a long time." Malcolm teases Ruth.

"I have never seen him this happy about attending a Home Office formal event before." Ruth counters Malcolm's comment.


	3. Dress Shopping

"Do you have a dress for the event, Ruth?" Jo asks curiously.

"Not yet. I'm dragging Harry with me if he's dragging me to one of those God awful Home Office events." Ruth tells Jo.

"Oh, Harry's going to love that plan." Malcolm says sarcastically.

"At least try and be positive Malcolm." Ruth teases.

"I'm sorry Ruth. I just don't see Harry sitting in a ladies' boutique waiting for you to pick out a dress." Malcolm says honestly.

"Not even if he gets to see me try on fabulous dresses for a couple of hours?" Ruth asks suggestively.

Malcolm pauses for a moment. "Point taken Ruth. Maybe you will persuade him to go with you."

"Well, if he doesn't come with me I'm not going with him." Ruth says firmly.

"That's pretty harsh, Ruth. He's still only a man and you can't blame him for that. Men are men and nothing more. We can't expect perfection." Jo says gently.

"I'm not expecting perfection, but there's got to be something better than this. This career is so all consuming that it seems to be the only thing we think about." Ruth complains.

"Well, looking at Harry now, I can tell you that he's not thinking about work right now." Malcolm teases Ruth.

"How do you know he's not thinking about work?" Ruth asks quietly.

"He's not thinking about work because he's watching you. I can practically read his daydreams from her." Malcolm says seriously to Ruth.

"Well, quit trying to read his daydreams about me, Malcolm. They're none of your business." Ruth teases Malcolm.


	4. Passing On Info

Ruth heads to Harry's office. She needs him to sign some paperwork.

"What can I do for you, Ruth?" Harry asks when Ruth enters his office. He notes her presence immediately.

"Can you sign these papers for me, Harry?" Ruth asks carefully. "Just so you know Malcolm and Jo are gossiping about us and teasing me. It's okay with me, but I thought you should know."

"I don't care about the gossip anymore. They can tease and prod for information all they want and it won't change how I feel about you and how I want our relationship to go. I don't want us to be intimidated by our colleagues again." Harry says firmly.

Ruth smirks cheekily at Harry's words. She leans over as she stands next to Harry and kisses his cheek. "You are so sweet, Harry! You are really determined to make this work for us, aren't you?" Ruth asks as she leans against the edge of Harry's desk next to him.

"Yes, I am. Our colleagues can be ruthless, but I am going to be ruthless with them too. They can't mess around with people's lives the way they have in the past." Harry has his steely-eyes determination written all over his face.

Ruth stands up and leans over his shoulder facing the same way as Harry and running her fingers through the hair at the back of Harry's head. She's teasing him.

Harry leans his head back against Ruth's hand and sighs contentedly. "That feels absolutely divine Ruth."


	5. Cheeky Malcolm

"Malcolm's watching you." Ruth whispers in Harry's ear.

"I don't care. Malcolm can watch all he wants as long as he doesn't comment." Harry says tiredly. Suddenly his internal instant messaging system pings. Harry slowly opens his eyes and opens his message. It's from Malcolm. Harry reads it quickly and then says, "Read this Ruth. The cheeky bastard."

Ruth moves around to the other side of Harry and reads, "You look really relaxed, Harry. What's Ruth's other hand up to under that desk?" Ruth is shocked by Malcolm's comment. Ruth walks to the door of Harry's office and hollers, "Malcolm, you have a dirty mind!"

"You and Harry just looked very cosy, Ruth, that's all. People will make assumptions when Harry looks like that. He never looks like that at work." Malcolm teases Ruth.

"Bugger off Malcolm!" Harry calls from his chair in his office. "Quit being a prat!"

"Oh, come on Harry! You know I'm right! You're never this comfortable at work. Ruth's good for you!" Malcolm calls back.

"Malcolm, you're an idiot! I knew Ruth was good for me a long time ago. You didn't have to tell me that!" Harry teases his friend.


End file.
